Handcuffs

TORONTO -- An Ajax man is one of eight TTC transit enforcement officers fired -- five of whom have been charged criminally -- after a four-month investigation into alleged fabrication of offence tickets.

Five officers had issued tickets for provincial offences but were not at the locations where these supposed acts occurred, the TTC said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon. The tickets were issued to homeless people for offences such as panhandling, loitering or trespassing.

The tickets were never served to the people named, so no fines were paid, but the TTC said it will make sure all falsified tickets will be cancelled and the people named face no future prosecution for failing to pay the fines.

Three other officers were also investigated and fired with cause for misconduct, though there was no evidence of criminal wrongdoing. No details were provided.

The TTC has announced a review to strengthen its procedures for issuing provincial offences tickets.

"I am profoundly disappointed in today's news," TTC CEO Andy Byford said in the statement. "The public should have absolute confidence and trust in all that we do."

The following officers face charges of attempting to obstruct justice and fabricating evidence: Michael Schmidt, 44, of Barrie, two counts each; Tony Catic, 45, of Oakville, two counts each; John Posthumus, 44, of Toronto, three counts each; Jamie Greenbank, 48, of Milton, one count each; Neil Malik, 38, of Ajax, one count each.